UCF's O'Leary warns players about agents, calls for more responsibility among athletes

July 27, 2010|By Iliana LimÃÂÃÂ³n, Sentinel Staff Writer

Alabama coach Nick Saban made a big splash last week when he compared agents courting college football players to pimps.

Saban was one of many high-profile SEC coaches taking aim at agents and their runners. The NCAA is investigating a growing number of cases where agents may have helped college football players receive improper benefits. If the NCAA confirms athletes received any gifts, they could lose their amateur status and college eligibility. The schools could face major sanctions, joining USC coping with postseason bans and recruiting restrictions.

The issue isn't limited to the SEC.

Conference USA coaches have added agents to the long list of issues they discuss with players.

"I think agents have an impact at every school and every conference," UCF coach George O'Leary said. "I deal with it all the time at our place. It's not the agents as much as their representatives or their runners. It might be at the local restaurants and place where kids may frequent. As I tell our players, I think No. 1 if you're talking to an agent or an agent's tried to talk to you and I don't know about it, you're guilty. I make it very clear to them what's legal and what's illegal. Agents can't do anything for you until after December and then it only depends on whether you're being drafted.

" I used to sit down with the seniors, but now I have to sit down with everybody. It's not just the senior group, everyone is being talked to. I just keep saying to them again and again, if they cheat to get you, they're going to cheat when they've got you. They have to understand that."

Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said he is pleased the issue of agents is finally getting more attention.

"I think it's a huge issue, but I don't think it just happened this year," he said. "But I think now that Nick Saban is talking about it and Urban Meyer and Mark Richt are all talking about it, people are starting to realize it is a big deal. I'm glad people are talking about it because it's been a problem for years and people have looked the other way for years.

"It's a bad situation and I don't know what the answer is. I don't think anyone knows what the answer is right now. I think the American Football Coaches Association will talk about it. I know Nick has reached out to the NFL, and hopefully they'll get involved. And hopefully together we can work this thing out because it's a bad situation."

O'Leary said he thinks education is the key to avoiding problems with agents.

"I do speak with the kids all the time about agents and what is legal and illegal," he said. "I tell the players, if they cheat to get you, they're going to cheat when they've got you. And I think you have to understand that. And again, I think players need to understand that nothing's for free. They know that.

"You can blame the agents. We do have to control the agents better, whether it's the NFL or the college associations. But I also think the players have to be a little more aware that they're endangering themselves and their eligibility when they deal with these people. Nothing remains a secret very long. And I really haven't been around any agents that offer anything without you first asking. So I think it's sort of a two-way streets."

Fedora said every coach has to talk with his players about agents.

"You're sticking your head in the sand if you're not talking with them because the threat is always there," Fedora said. "The only tool we have as coaches is education and explaining to our players the negatives about it and what's going to happen if you do develop a relationship with an agent. If you don't educate them, you've got no chance."

While O'Leary and Fedora both said the NFL and AFCA need to address the issue, O'Leary is demanding more personal responsibility from his players.

"I think the initial changes have to come from players," he said. "They have to understand the rules and not try to be cute. They have to tell the coaches right away, `Hey, listen, this agent is calling my home phone, he's calling my parents' and then let whether the coaches or agents association get involved. They will say, `Hey, yo, that's not how we do things.' Unless someone stands up and turns people in, nothing will change. Hearsay's not getting it done."